Burial-vault



(No Model.) L 0. H. ANDERSON. I BURIAL VAULT.

No. 325,230. Patented Sept. 1, 1885.

N. PETERS, PhctwLiPhngmphen Whhingtcm D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OLIVER H. ANDERSON, OF SPRINGFIELD, OHIO.

BURlAL-VAULT.

ESPBCEPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 325,230, dated September 1,1885.

(No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, OLIVER H. ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Clark and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and use ful Improvements in Burial-Vaults, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of burialcaskets or portable vaults in which a flanged bottom plate is combined with a box-shaped upper portion, and with spring-catches upon one part engaging with shoulders or lugs upon the other; and my invention consists in arranging the catches and lugs, as fully set forth hereinafter, so that the parts may be permanently locked together when the box portion is applied to the basein one position, and also so that the catches will not engage with the shoulders when the position of the box por' tion is reversed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse section of a vault or casket embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the base portion. Figs. 3 and 4 are diagrams illustrating different manners of putting the parts together.

The casket or vault consists of the usual flat bottom plate, A, having an edge flange, a,and the bOX-llk0 upper portion, B, fitting within the flange, and the spring-catches 0, carried by the bottom portion and engaging with lugs 6 upon the inside of the portion B. Heretofore in this class of articles the spring-catches have been secured movably to the bottom portion, so that when the two parts are placed together for transportation merely the said catches may be so set out of position as notto engage with the lugs. This necessitates the adjustment of the catches when the casket is to be prepared for use, and is further objectionable because the catches cannot be so positively and firmly connected as is desirable.

In order to permit the catches to be posi tively and firmly secured in position, and at the same time avoid the locking of the sections together when placed in juxtaposition for transportation, I arrange the catches in such manner that they will engage with the lugs upon the box portion of the casket when the latter is applied to the bottom in one position, but will not so engage when the position of either section is reversed. Different arrangements of the catches will secure this result.

In the drawings I have shown the bottom portion as provided with two catches at one end at the points 1 1., with a single catch at the opposite end at the point 2, and with the catches at the points 3 3 at one side, much nearer the center than the catches at the points 4 4 at the opposite side. The lugs e are arranged within the box portion, so that when the latter is in the position in respect to the portion A shown in Fig. 3, and is then brought above and lowered and placed upon said portion A, all the catches will engage with the respective lugs, and the two parts will be permanently locked together. If, however, one portionfor instance, the box portion Bis reversed, so as to bring the end which is at the right in Fig. 3 to the left, as shown in Fig. 4, the said box portion may be placed upon the base plate A without any engagement of the latches and lugs. By this arrangement I am enabled to place the parts in position for transportation without looking them together, but can secure their permanent connection whenever required at a moments notice and without any adjustment ofthe locking devices, which are riveted or otherwise permanently and firmly secured in place, and constitute much stronger attachments and can be more cheaply applied than the movaable connections heretofore employed with caskets having continuous edge flanges.

It will be obvious that any form of catch device may be used, provided it is of such character as to be self-locking when the two parts of the case are properly arranged and brought together.

\Vithout limiting myself to the precise construction and arrangement of parts shown and described, I claim- A casket consisting of two sections provided with catches on one end or side arranged or spaced differently from those on the opposite end or side, so that the sections are locked when in one position, but free when the position of either section is reversed, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

OLIVER H. ANDERSON.

IVitnesses:

J. S. ANDERSON, A. R. COBAUGH. 

